EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT

“Time waits for no one”, this is a popular saying we all know too well. The amount of time available for everyone on daily basis is same; the usage of it absolutely depends on the user. By nature, time is irreplaceable; if lost, you cannot bring it back. More importantly, it is indispensable, as every action you take as human requires time. We have so much to do yet time seem limited, hence, our need for time management.

“Time management is life management”

Robin Sharma

Urgent activities vs important activities

It is important to prioritize your activities and schedule your priorities. To know what your priorities are, depends much on your ability to differentiate between urgent activities and important activities.

Plan your day; have a to do list. All items on the to-do list may appear urgent. However, a closer look may prove otherwise.

Michael LeBoeuf, a professor of time management at the University of New Orleans, made this observation; “Important things are seldom urgent and urgent things are seldom important. For instance, the urgency of fixing a flat tire when you are late for an appointment is much greater than remembering to pay your auto insurance premium. Meanwhile, it’s importance (the tire) is in most cases relatively small”.

Then he laments “unfortunately, many of us spend our lives fighting fires under the tyranny of the urgent. The result is that we ignore the less urgent but more important things in life. It is a great effectiveness killer”

Michael LeBoeuf’s statement above underscores the need for setting priorities. Set priorities; be sure to number the items on your to do list, in the order of importance; do your best to handle them in that order. You must be flexible. The objective is to stay in control, so that at the end of the day; your accomplishments are by choice and not by chance.

Time management consultant Alan Lakein stresses: “one rarely reaches the bottom of a to do list. It is not completing the list that counts, but making the best use of your time”.

4D of time management

To make the best of your time, you must follow the 4D of time management as follows:

1. Dump it: If it’s not important, it’s a time waster; dump it.
2. Delegate it: If it is important and someone else can do it, delegate it.
3. Defer it: If it is not critical, it can wait, consequently, schedule another time to complete it.
4. Do it: If it’s important for you, it must be done now; no one else can do it? do it.

In all of these, ensure you keep your best relationships active. Create for and spend time with family, friends and refresh yourself.

Effective time management makes life easier. Indeed, there is not enough time for all activities, but there is enough time for important activities. You don’t have to do everything, do the important things in their order of priority.

Time management requires practice, while you are at it, celebrate small victories, congratulate yourself on each step of accomplishment.

Reference:

Henry Onukwuba. honukwuba@lbs.edu.ng. Time Management presentation 21 March 2022

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/awake/awake-1987/december-8